Which teams enter 2019-20 with the biggest chips on their shoulders?

'Tis the season, so let's talk rankings.

Rankings: They're fun, highly debatable, and in college hockey, they don't actually matter. Only a math equation does. That doesn't stop us from analyzing every single ranking. We can't get enough.

Around this time year, it would be easy to make preseason rankings. That's not what I'm going to do, though. Instead, these are rankings where Minnesota Duluth doesn't automatically get placed first.

These are rankings for which teams can claim the biggest chips on their shoulders.

Playing the "proving them wrong" song can be a lifeline in sports, even if it ends up sometimes ringing hollow. College hockey is no exception. Let's be clear. All 60 teams would like to use the Rodney Dangerfield card. No respect!

Several players come to mind as those who used "us versus the world" and a chip on their shoulder as a motivation tactic. Both Denver and St. Cloud State got far with it last season after losing players early and head coaches to the NHL and Minnesota, respectively.

Without further adieu, here are the top 20 college hockey teams with the biggest chips on their shoulders. It's a ranking fitting for a year where the Frozen Four takes place in a city where "Detroit versus Everybody" exists as a mantra and lifestyle.

Honorable Mention: Every team not on this list with the exception of Minnesota Duluth. Congrats on getting a little extra chip on your shoulder based on this ranking.

20. Northeastern

Nobody's talking about the Huskies being home to multiple awards and titles, winning the Beanpot in back-to-back years. Well, except for Jeopardy.

19.  Notre Dame

Jeff Jackson's team returns Cale Morris and gets overlooked in some preseason rankings after making it one game from the Frozen Four? It's that easy.

18. UMass Lowell

At least Notre Dame was on some lists. The River Hawks are the team I thought might make some preseason lists and rankings yet were shut out nationally.

T-16. Minnesota and North Dakota

Both perennial blue bloods find themselves in the same spot. Neither appeared in the past two NCAA Tournaments and find themselves being recently leapfrogged by nearby schools. Minnesota didn't make the USCHO top 20 for the first time since 1999. If the Gophers snap the streak, it doesn't take a physic to see it coming up.

15. St. Lawrence

Not only are the Saints coming off a season with six wins, St. Lawrence won't be playing at its home rink until Thanksgiving. Ongoing renovations at Appleton Arena leave the Saints some fuel in the fire for Brent Brekke's first season.

14. Penn State

On the one hand, this feels like the time where PSU is getting some deserved respect. Penn State was picked to win the Big Ten and is getting discussed as a Frozen Four and national championship dark horse. Not exactly a sign of disrespect.

On the other hand, there's still the "missed the NCAA Tournament despite an all-time great offense" and "ruined college hockey" well for the Nittany Lions to go. Let's be honest, this is college hockey. The latter still holds a lot of water in these rankings.

13. Dartmouth

Besides dog photos and that time I wrote Dartmouth had the best college hockey Twitter, the Big Green doesn't often make lists. That was the point of the team's profile. Dartmouth lately seems to be more vocal about it, which in this case helps the rankings. Welcome aboard.

12. UMass

After losing both the Hobey Baker winner and national championship game, there's some extra motivation of a team with unfinished business showing its doubters that it's not just Cale Makar (and Mario Ferraro).

T-10. Boston University and Michigan

While Boston College and Wisconsin have gotten the lion's share of attention for high-profile freshman classes, BU - outside the top 20 - and Michigan - picked sixth in the Big Ten - seem to be sliding under the radar with high-profile rookies and newcomers of its own. Either can pull a Rodney here.

9. Arizona State

ASU reached national highs in its fourth season sponsoring Division 1 hockey, becoming the first independent program to make the NCAA Tournament since 1992. So why the high ranking? Now there's the pressure for the Sun Devils to "prove it again" to the "doubters."

8. Minnesota State

Until the Mavericks win an NCAA Tournament game, Minnesota State will keep that particular chip on its shoulder. The latest edition adds playing Providence in Providence to Palmquist was pushed and whatever shorthand name exists for the potential OT winner against UMD that hit Brad McClure in the net.

7. St. Cloud State

I thought about placing SCSU in the same tier as Minnesota State. Both yearn to hit the next level of postseason success and share a similar reason to prove "them" wrong. The Huskies move ahead due to St. Cloud State having both back-to-back losses as the No. 1 overall seed and much of Bob Motzko's 2019-20 SCSU rookie class now being Bob Motzko's 2019-20 Minnesota rookie class. Turns out that motivation was not a one year wonder.

6. Providence

This could be the Denver spot where a team losing a number of key players early goes on to reach the Frozen Four. Providence, who appeared in Buffalo with DU and lost several of its top players to early departures and graduation, brings in a young, unproven group that would be happy to take the path of the Pioneers.

T-3. Alabama Huntsville, Alaska Anchorage and Alaska

A masterclass in resilience could be taught by these three teams. Both Alaska schools ended up facing being shut down by the state government. All three were left to fend for themselves by the rest of the WCHA. And that's just this summer.

The only reason all three aren't by far the winner despite having major chips on their shoulders is that it's more of a two-season revenge quest specific to seven other teams who killed their conference. Anyone outside is rooting for all three and likely to attend that class.

2. Harvard

Actually, this could be the Denver spot. Sorry Providence. Thought highly, the Crimson dropped somewhat preseason. The team lost a pair of players on the blue line over the summer now likely suiting up in the NHL opening night. Still, Harvard maintains an elite lineup and the extra motivation of not letting the summer define springtime goals.

1. Bowling Green

Right now, this ranking is Bowling Green's to lose. Snap a 29 year NCAA Tournament drought and lose your head coach to an in-state rival? Check. Lose key players? Check. So much to work with. BGSU can run the St. Cloud State plan from last year mixed with a little Denver and any team that needs to "prove it again."

Plus if that wasn't enough, I said the Falcons, who return a solid core of players from last year's streak snappers, were in Toledo. Those turn out to be fighting words among Bowling Green fans. Congrats Falcons, you're number one with a bullet.

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